Timepiece

ABSTRACT

A timepiece includes a casing which forms a part of the movement with the casing bottom forming the main part of the movement frame. The casing bottom is carved or formed in relief for receiving the elements of the movement and for supporting part of the shafts and gearing of the movement. The casing itself also includes two planar bearing surfaces. A bridge portion of the frame and the base plate of a regulating module is secured between the bearing surfaces in order to create a rigid frame for the assembly.

United States Patent Erard Aug. 26, 1975 [54] TIMEPIECE 3,802,183 4/1974 Erard 58/59 [75] Inventor: Raoul-Henri Erard, La

ChaukdfiFOfldS, Switzerland Primary Examiner-George H. Miller, Jr. [73] Assignee: Ebauches SA" Neuchatel Attorney, Agent, or FirmS1lverman & Cass. Ltd.

Switzerland [22] Filed: May 8, 1974 5 ABSTRACT Appl, No.: 467,881

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 10. 1973 Switzerland .v 6783/73 [52] US. Cl 58/59; 58/88 R [51] Int. Cl i. G04b 33/00; G04b 37/00 [58] Field of Search H 58/59, 53, 88 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,121,990 2/1964 Laviolcttc 58/59 A timepiece includes a casing which forms a part of the movement with the casing bottom forming the main part of the movement frame. The casing bottom is carved or formed in relief for receiving the elements of the movement and for supporting part of the shafts and gearing of the movement. The casing itself also includes twoplanar bearing surfaces. A bridge portion of the frame and the base plate of a regulating module is secured between the bearing surfaces in order to create a rigid frame for the assembly.

LClaims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED M1826 I975 SJZLU 1 BF 3 FIG. 2

PATENTED AUGZB I975 1 U1 01 PATENTED AUG 2 61975 SHEET 3 [1f 3 TIMEPIECE The present invention relates to a timepiece the main part of the frame of the movement of which is constituted by an element of its casing.

This timepiece is characterized by the fact that the said main part of the frame carries a regulating module which comprises a base-plate bearing on the one hand on a bearing surface, parallel to the plane of the movement, provided on the main part of the frame of the movement, and on the other hand on a bearing surface, perpendicular to the plane of the movement, provided on a bridge of the said frame, the contact of the said plate with the second bearing surface determining the degree of penetration of the toothing of the last wheel of the gearing of the movement in the pinion of the escape wheel which constitutes an element of the said regulating module.

The drawing shows, by way of example, one embodiment of the object of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofa part ofa wrist-watch.

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, at a larger scale.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view thereof, at the scale of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a part of this watch, during its mounting, and

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are sectional views along lines VV, VIVI and VI]-VII, respectively, of FIG. 2, at a larger scale.

The casin g of the watch represented is constituted by a cap 1, made of plastic material, provided with a bottom la and with an annular edge lb carrying the glass, designated by 2, which maintains in place the dial, designated by 3, resting by its periphery on an inner shoulder of the edge lb (FIG. 7), on which it is angularly positioned by a stud 4 (FIG. 2). This cap 1 constitutes, with the glass 2, a casing of the type known under the name ofcontainer" intended to be located either in an outer casing or merely in a middle part provided, especially, by the means of attaching of the bracelet.

The bottom Ia of the cap I constitutes an element of the frame of the movement, more precisely the main part of this frame. As shown by FIG. 3, this bottom Ia has a relief which depends from the topography of the movement, that is to say which is provided with portion situated at different levels giving passage to elements of the movement. Thus, the bottom la is provided with a circular recess 5 intended to receive the barrel containing the motor spring, a circular recess 6 in which is located the balance-wheel, a zone 7 receiving the bearings of the several shafts of the gearing of the movement, an intermediary zone 8 constituting a stiffening extra thickness, and two bearing surfaces 9 and 10, the role of which will be indicated later, which are parallel to the plane of the movement and which are situated in a common plane.

The motor spring, represented at II in FIG. 7, is located in a barrel constituted merely by a ring 12, opened on its both sides, partially engaged in the recess 5 of the bottom la of the cap I. The shaft of the barrel, designated by 13, is pivoted on the one hand in an embossment Ic shown by the bottom la of the cap I, at the centre of the recess 5, and on the other hand in a metallic bridge 14 hearing on the bearing surfaces 9 and 10 of the bottom 1a of the cap I. This bottom la is provided with two tubular studs 1d, substantially diammetrically opposed with respect to the centre of the movement, ensuring the centering of the bridge I4,

which is maintained in place by two screws 15. This bridge being situated under the dial, it plays, partially, the role of the base-plate of the conventional movements while the bottom la of the cap 1 plays, partially, the role of the conventional bridges.

The shaft 13 of the barrel carries, forced thereon, a wheel 16 meshing with the pinion, designated by 17, of the minutes, which is not situated in the centre of the movement, as in the conventional watches, but out from this centre. The shaft 17a of the minutes, made of one piece with the pinion I7, is pivoted between the bottom la ofthe cap 1 and a small plate 18 secured, by a screw 19 (FIG. 7), to the bridge 14. This shaft carries a wheel 20 meshing with the pinion 21 of the third wheel, the shaft of which, designated by 21a, is pivoted between the bottom la of the cap 1 and the bridge 14. This shaft carries a wheel 22 meshing with the pinion 23 of the centre seconds, the shaft 230 of which, carrying the seconds hand, designated by 24, is supported on the one hand by the bottom Ia of the cap 1 and on the other hand by a sleeve 25 secured to the bridge 14.

The minutes shaft 17a being not situated in the centre of the movement, as it has been said, it carries a cannon-pinion 26, meshing with an intermediate wheel 27 (FIG. 7) meshing with a second cannon-pinion 28, the cannon of which carries the minutes hand designated by 29. The hour-wheel, designated by 30, carrying the hand 31 of the hours, is engaged on the second cannon-pinion 28. Its wheel 32 is meshing with the pinion of a dial-train, not represented, the wheel of which is meshing with the second cannon-pinion 28.

The regulating device of the watch as disclosed and represented is constituted by an independent modular element, represented in 33 in FIG. 3. The frame of this modular element comprises a metallic main plate 34, a metallic bridge 35, secured to the plate 34, and a balance-cock 36, secured to the bridge 35 which operates as a distance-piece. This regulating module comprises an escape wheel 37 forced on the shaft 38a of a pinion 38 meshing with' a seconds wheel 39 carried by the shaft 23a of the centre seconds. The shaft 38a is pivoted between the main plate 34 and the bridge 35, as is also the shaft, designated by 40, of the pallets 41. The balance-wheel, designated by 42, is pivoted between the main plate 34 and the balance-cock 36. As a modification, the regulating module could be provided with means permitting to adjust the timing of the watch, permitting to act on the active length of the hair-spring.

The regulating module is supported by the bottom in of the cap 1 bearing on the two bearing surfaces 9 and 10 of this bottom la. The surface 9 is provided with a tubular stud Ie, similar to the studs 1d ensuring the centering of the bridge 14 and on which is engaged, by means of a hole 43 provided therein to this effect, the main plate 34. A screw 44 maintains it in position. At its opposite end, the plate 34 is maintained in place by a screw 45 screwed in a hole 46 provided in the bearing surface 10 of the bottom In of the cap I; this screw 45, sectionally shown in FIG. 2, is provided with a conical bearing surface by means of which it engages the edge of the hole, designated by 47, of the plate 34 traversed by this screw. Owing to this arrangement, the main plate 34 of the frame of the regulating module is pressed, in the direction of the arrow 48 of FIG. 2, towards the bridge I4. It bears, by means of a nose 34a constituting a centering means, against a gearing surface 49 (FIG. 4) perpendicular to the plane of the movement, provided on the bridge 14. There results that the penetration of the toothing of the seconds wheel 39 into the pinion 38 of the escape wheel 37 is very precisely determined by the dimension of the centering nose 34a and by the position of the bearing surface 49, independently f m any other dimension of the several elements of the movement. As a modification, one could also have the centering ensured not by means of the nose 34a of the plate 34, which is situated close from point of pivoting of the escape wheel 37, but by a portion 34b of this plate which is coaxial to the escape wheel. This head 34b would then cooperate with a bearing surface of the bridge 14 similar to the bearing surface 49, that would have the advantage that the operating of the regulating device would not be troubled by imprecisions of manufacture which could bring its position to vary angularly with respect to the axis of the escape wheel.

The watch represented comprises moreover a control stem 50 (FIG. perpendicular to the plane of the movement, able to occupy several axial positions, per mitting to efi'ect, according to its position, the winding, the setting or the correction of the indicating members of a calendar the mechanism of which has not been represented. The stem 50 carries a control crown 51 by means of which it is rotatably mounted in a sleeve 52 forced in the bottom la of the cap 1. The stem 50 is provided, at its end opposite to this one carrying the crown 51, with a portion of larger diameter 500 rotating in a small plate 53 carried by the lateral part lb of the cap 1.

The sleeve 52 carries, rotatably mounted on its inner end, a pinion 54 traversed by a toothing 50b provided on the stem 50, this pinion meshing with a toothing 12a of the ring 12 constituting the barrel. In one of the axial positions of the stem 50, represented in FIG. 5, its toothing 50b is meshing with a corresponding inner toothing of the pinion 54, that permits, while operating the control crown 51, to effect the winding. A pole 55 (FIG. 3) acts on the pinion 54 for retaining the motor spring 11, the return spring of this pole, designated by 56, cooperating, like ajumper, with one or the other of several conical surfaces 57 of the stem 50, for ensuring the stability of the several axial pssitions of this stem. The stem 50 carries, at its end opposed to this one carrying the control crown 51, a wheel 58 meshing, in the pulled position of the stem, with a setting intermediate wheel 59, carried by the bridge 14, the axis of which is inclined with respect to the plane of the movement, and which is meshing with the intermediate wheel 27 connecting the cannon-pinion 26 carried by the minutes shaft 17a to the second cannon-pinion 28 coaxial to the centre of the movement.

The mounting of the timepiece as disclosed and represented is effected while mounting first the several elements of the control mechanism, that is to say the stem 50 and the pinions 54 and 58. One can then effect a checking of the tightness of this mechanism, this tightness being ensured by ajoint 60 interposed between the crown 51 and the sleeve 52, without the other elements of the movement being already in place and without, therefore, there is a risk of damaging them by this checking which is effected, generally, by dipping into a liquid. This checking will be so more useful that the stem 50 has not, later, to be separated anew.

The mounting is then continued while placing the barrel, the shaft of the barrel, and the three first elements of the gearing. The bridge 14 is then put in place, that maintains the whole. One can then check all the operations of the control mechanism as well as the freedom of the gearing of the movement.

The mounting is continued while putting in place the regulating module 33, which will have been mounted and checked previously, which is engaged in the space provided for it in the position represented in FIG. 4, in which the pinion 38 of the escape wheel is not meshing with the wheel 39 of the seconds. Thus, the regulating module can be put in place entirely mounted, without there is a risk that any of its elements be damaged. [t is maintained by the screw 44, which is not tightened, then the screw 45 is put in place, moving the regulating module in the direction of arrow 61 of FIG. 4. When the centering nose 34a of the main plate 34 is strongly applied against the bearing surface 49 of the bridge 14 by the conical bearing surface of the screw 45 acting on the edge of the hole 47 of the plate 34, the screw 44 is then tightened. It is to be noted that, owing to this arrangement, the main plate 34 constitutes, with the bridge 14, a rigid assembly, these two elements contributing, together, to ensure the rigidity of the frame of the movement.

In the example as disclosed and represented, the cap 1 is made of plastic material and the bridge 14 of metal, but the reverse could be executed as well as the whole could be made of metal or the whole of plastic material.

In this example, the bearing members of the bearings of the gearing are secured on element la of the frame or on the bridge 14. They could, when these portions of the frame are made of plastic material, be made of one piece therewith or be molded in situ thereon.

As a modification, one could provide the case where the regulating module will be definitely and unremovably secured to the bottom 1a of the cap 1, by means of studs, or by welding or sticking for example.

The present arrangement will be usable not only for wrist-watches, but also for pocket watches pendant watches or other timepieces as, for instance, minature clocks.

What I claim is:

l. A timepiece including in combination a casing forming a part of the movement frame with the casing bottom forming the main part of the movement frame, the casing bottom including a relief formed therein and adapted to the relief of the elements of the movement, said frame including first and second aligned bearing surfaces extending in a plane parallel to the plane of said casing bottom at a predetermined distance therefrom, a bridge secured to and extending between said first and second bearing surfaces, said bridge carrying at least a part of the gearing of the movement with said casing bottom supporting said gearing movement, said bridge maintaining the gearing in position between said casing bottom and said bridge, a removable selfcontained regulating module including a base plate, said base plate extending between and secured to said bearing surfaces with the remaining module portions extending into said relief, said bridge base plate of said regulating module and easing forming a rigid movement frame when assembled.

2. The timepiece of claim I further including an aperture formed in said first bearing surface and an aperture formed in said base plate said apertures being in alignment when said base plate is mounted on said bearing surface, a screw having a frusto-conical bearing surface extending through said base plate aperture and secured in said bearing surface aperture, said screw module in response to said rotation and producing a lateral displacement thereof for aligning said base plate with said bridge, said alignment determining the degree of interaction of the gearing of said movement and said being adapted to rotate said frusto-conical bearing sur- 5 regulating module.

face bearing against said base plate of said regulating 

1. A timepiece including in combination a casing forming a part of the movement frame with the casing bottom forming the main part of the movement frame, the casing bottom including a relief formed therein and adapted to the relief of the elements of the movement, said frame including first and second aligned bearing surfaces extending in a plane parallel to the plane of said casing bottom at a predetermined distance therefrom, a bridge secured to and extending between said first and second bearing surfaces, said bridge carrying at least a part of the gearing of the movement with said casing bottom supporting said gearing movement, said bridge maintaining the gearing in position between said casing bottom and said bridge, a removable self-contained regulating module including a base plate, said base plate extending between and secured to said bearing surfaces with the remaining module portions extending into said relief, said bridge base plate of said regulating module and casing forming a rigid movement frame when assembled.
 2. The timepiece of claim 1 further including an aperture formed in said first bearing surface and an aperture formed in said base plate said apertures being in alignment when said base plate is mounted on said bearing surface, a screw having a frusto-conical bearing surface extending through said base plate aperture and secured in said bearing surface aperture, said screw being adapted to rotate said frusto-conical bearing surface bearing against said base plate of said regulating module in response to said rotation and producing a lateral displacement thereof for aligning said base plate with said bridge, said alignment determining the degree of interaction of the gearing of said movement and said regulating module. 